2011 Hottest Days (July 21, 22 and 23) in Chicago and Nursery 4

It was very hot and humid days. The actual temperatures were 98 to 101, and the heat index went up over 110. In order to have cool feeling, Hiroko put those photos taken on the coldest and snowing day in Chicago in January on the computer as the background.

These photos remind us how cold in Chicago’s winter, but still the days were very hot.
The winter photos on Hiroko’s computer.

Hiroko decided to take the hottest day photos on July 22.

These were the hottest day’s alley by the garage, but it didn’t tell how hot. Those clouds showed it is summer.

At the front of Hiroko’s apartment. No one outside!

McDonald and the corner of Clark and Bryn Mawr. In the winter, there were a lot of snow on this corner and people couldn’t walk on the sidewalk.

These tomato and cucumber were hot, too.

These photos was taken from the porch. These white clouds surely showed the summer.
 
This is Hiroko’s Porch Garden

Can you see one cucumber.

How are these vegetable plants in this hot weather? They must like this hot weather.
Dan-san’s Garden

The green pepper and the cucumbers are ready to eat.

Hiroko’s zucchini have several flowers.

Do you know what this is? Mothballs! Someone told Dan-san that “Mothballs” prevent squirrels, rats or any other animals to come in the garden, so many mothballs in his garden. However, others said that the mothballs chemical harm the vegetables! What do you think?
 
The First Harvest

From Dan-san’ garden

From porch garden
They were very tasty and soft skin cucumber, and pepper was very good flavor and delicious.
-----------------------------------------------------
About our Air Condition
Dan-san, Elsa and Hiroko do not need air condition for the most summer. They didn’t use any air condition last summer. However, this year was different.

This almost new air condition given to Elsa was used on the first hot day. The rooms wasn’t cool down as expected. Hiroko found out this is just a room cooler.

Now, Dan-san and Hiroko tried to clean and using this old, old air condition which was bought by Dan-san’s father over 25 years ago. Hiroko cleaned the air condition’s outside but scared to start. Dan-san came back and pushed the start switch --- it worked! But the dust came out from the air condition. Dan-san cleaned the inside of it. It wasn’t used for three or four years, but it worked and cooled all the rooms in those hottest days.
Thanks for this air condition on this hottest days. Everyone could sleep well and enjoy cool and cold air.

Nursery - Porch Garden 3, Mid-Season Report

At Chicago the whole month of June and the beginning of July, there have been lots of rain, so there is not much hot and sunny days. It is not good for plants. However, there are lots of flowers.

Konnyaku plant is growing well in spite of the weather. This is one Konnyaku plant in view from the top and the side.


This is cucumber plants. Can you see lots of yellow flowers? Hopefully all these flowers become cucumbers. Please compare these photos. One of the three photos of cucumbers belonged to the last article of the “Garden 2” posted on May 31.

This is jalapeño pepper and red pepper plants

This is shishito plants. There are couple more shishito plants. Shishito’s flower and fruits comes in the fall. No flower right now.

This is the view of the porch garden.


Zucchini plant on the ground by Dan-san’s pepper. Only the plant’s leaves are growing so big.

These zucchini plants belong to Matthew, son of Hiroko’s landlord’s grandson. It is much different from Hiroko’s. Many flowers and even zucchinis are growing.

Dan-san’s tomato and cucumber platns

As usual these plants and the other plants, green beans and pepper plants are growing very well.

Hiroko can’t wait for the day picking the fruits from these plants.
--------------------------------------------------------
The seeds are planted, and the sun and the rain will be falling on them, but for the flowers and the fruits are all up to the hand of God. This truth applies to Christian life, too.
I Corinthian 3:5-7
5what, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
-------------------------------------------------------
It was cool day when taken these photos, that Hiroko made Shepherd Pie.

Dan-san and Elsa said it was very delicious. They like it. It is very similar ingredients of meat loaf.
Hiroko will post the recipe of Shepherd Pie next time.

Business Use Anko (sweetened red beans), Christian Thoughts

Hiroko’s friend, Okinawa No. 1 lady gave over 10 lb. package of Anko

This is the bag of Anko. The half of Anko of the bag was taken out from the bag to make ohagi. Ingredients of this Anko mentioned on the bag are sugar, water, and red beans (Azuki). Hiroko wondered how it is so sweet without any salt.


A58M A183
11075
Institutional Use only
Ingredients: Sugar water, beans
Kyonishi Tsubuan
Product of China
Imported by JFC International, Los Angeles
These are mentioned on the bag.

Ohagi were made with this Anko.

These over 40 Ohagi were served at Leisure Group Bible Study, and one dozen were given to the Okinawa No. l Lady who gave the anko bag.

100 percents sweet brown rice were used inside ohagi. It was so difficult to find the sweet brown rice in any food market, like Mitsuwa and Vietnamese’s market. So Hiroko sent S.O.S. to the Morton Arboretum lady to buy for her. The supermarket called H-Mart own by Korean carried many different rice, so she bought the rice Hiroko wants. Thanks to the Arboretum lady.

This is a sweet brown rice bag and the rice is in the jar. The Arboretum lady said, place the rice in the dark and cool place. The rice can be kept 2 to 3 years.
Hiroko’s ohagi made by Chinese made Anko and Korean rice. Hiroko have never used the readymade Anko. Hiroko made extra twelve to the Okinawa No. 1 lady because she is waiting for the ohagi. Hiroko will be making another batch of ohagi for the Arboretum lady to test.

Everybody in the Leisure Group, but one who didn’t like the sticky rice, was enjoying the ohagi and everyone took it home.

Main Idea of the Bible Study at Leisure Group:
The Bible study based on the Gospel of Matthew 5:5, the sermon with the beatitudes. Pastor reviewed what we learned last month. It was taken from Matthew 5:3 and 4, and very important lesson, but no one remembered.

Matthew 5:3&4
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Pastor’s review:
What did we learn about the attitudes of being poor in the Spirit and mourning?
We should realize we are hopelessly and helplessly lost in sin.
People who have “Poor in Spirit” answer the next questions and test yourself.
1. Would they gossip about others?
2. Would they be judgmental?
3. Would they talk about others and look at other’s lives?
4. Would they watch what other are doing?
If the answer is ‘yes’ then you are not poor in spirit. People whose heart is poor in spirit have humble heart and no pride at all. Why can those who have poor in spirit have never done gossip, judgment, talking about others, interesting other’s action? They know their own unworthiness and sinfulness. No one can save themselves with the good works. For our sinfulness, Jesus died and shed his blood by which people’s sin was washed away. This is review.

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

The day’s lesson was being meek. The word ‘meek’ remind us the weak, puny, and ‘push around,’ but this word is used of horses. One would take a wild horse and break him. The wild horses are wild, fast, powerful, strong and dangerous. After the horse was tamed, is his qualities would be gone? Those qualities have never gone away, but the horse still is fast, strong, and powerful, but the horse would be controled and guided. The horse became useful and calm. If people who have an attitude of meekness, what does that mean? They have to look for ways to submit to God, and humble and serve God’s people.

Devon Church 2011 Annual Picnic, Christian Lives

The picnic had officially been starting at 11:30 for lunch, but many families came before the time, and spent their own favorite games, fellowshipping. Thank God for providing such fine day that many were there.
　

Children enjoyed running around in this open spacious field, free from danger. This open picnic field was reserved paying $100.00 by Devon Church with Chicago Park District, so no strangers could come and stay. Couple of days ago, the news was reported that a predator had almost taken away a 2 year old boy in front of his parents at crowded Michigan Lake beach.

This is the Lady: Yes, this is Cadillac lady.

She had in charge of this picnic. She has always remembered to reserve this place on the New Year day. Since last year, she can reserve by on-line, but she used to go to the City-Hall around 4 o’clock in the morning of the New Year day to reserve this place. This years theme of picnic was “Carnival,” so she had many barbecued hot dogs and bratwursts.

Here were the foods:
　
　
　

Hot dogs, Kalua pigs, various chicken; fried, teriyaki and barbecued, Chinese and Vietnamese’s noodles and egg-rolls, potato salad, many condiments, Hawaiian donuts holes, many fruits, blueberry pie, onigiri, potato chips and many other dishes. Many more dishes were added by late comers.

Pastor prayed to God the Lord that giving thanks for foods and special thanks for the freedom in the United State. Thanks God further more for the true freedom from God, and help us to share God’s freedom to others.

Let's dip in!
　
　
　

“Which one would be delicious?” Hot dog has always been favorable food for young and old. Almost all the egg-rolls were gone. All the adults have to have the Kalua pig. Hawaiian donuts holes and blueberry pie were very delicious. One interesting dessert was there, but no one knew what it was.

Do you know what this is?

Hiroko tried to take picture of the bird nest with chicks. When the parent birds came to the nest two or three chicks put their heads up, so we all knew there were chicks. Someone complained the birds were flying around. However, the bird must be saying, “What is going on today? Where did all these intruders come from?”

Grill Guardsmen

“What shall we do, need to grill more hot dogs?”
“Well, we should wait and see. There are so many hot dogs on the table.”

Let’s enjoy the foods and fellowship:



No need to explain
 
Had they already eaten?


Many children did not care for foods. They were very busy running around and playing. They found the Fishing Pond.
“I caught the red fish.”
“I want one, too.”
“There is blue one.”
“No, I need red one.”

Big Ball!

Hooray for this mighty man! He always has such big, big heart, everyone knows that, but at picnic he proved he has big, big lungs, too. This big ball was bellowed by this man. Children enjoyed with this ball. Thanks Mighty Man!

At 1 o’clock many children’s games were started. 15 or 20 children moved around all over the field to play the games prepared by the young mothers. Thanks to those who worked so hard.

Napping Place

Waking up early morning to make Hiroko’s responsible foods, she was very tired, that this was wonderful place to take a nap.

Give thanks to God for providing this good weather, abundant foods, and fellowshipping with many people.